Hall of Fame Member Bios 1994

DAVE EDINGER
David Edinger was a graduate of East Stroudsburg University. He
coached football, wrestling and basketball at Overbrook and Collingswood
High Schools. He started the Jersey Wrestling Officials Association.
He officiated in the wrestling state finals for many years. He is
the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame Co-Founder and was presented
the Harry Lake Award, which was given by the State Wrestling Association
for his contribution to the sport.

ASTOR RITTER
After completing a brilliant athletic career at East Stroudsburg
State College and serving as a Naval officer in World War II, Ritter
arrived in Collingswood in 1948.
Few schools have been as fortunate. As head coach in both basketball
and track, he turned out a succession of strong units. He was a
valuable assistant coach in baseball and football, serving as defensive
coordinator of the Golden Eleven championship team of 1958.
He became an administrator at Collingswood at Collingswood in 1959
and remained active in athletics as one of the area’s premier
football, basketball and track officials.

JIM McQUESTON
Jim McQueston earned 10 varsity letters during his brilliant career
as a four-sport athlete at Collingswood.
During the spring sport season he was one of South Jersey’s
top sprinters and was recognized as the finest scholastic shortstop
in the area. He was a basketball starter for three years and recalls
defeating Millville for the Camden Suburban League title in 1933
as one of his greatest thrills.
As a senior he played football for the first time and became a superb
receiver and rugged defensive end.
Following graduation in January 1934, he started in semi-pro baseball
for years and played professionally with Trenton at the Inter-State
League. For years he was a top football official.

LEROY STANTON
Stanton ranks as one of the most versatile athletes to play for
Collingswood. He performed superbly for three years in baseball,
basketball and football.
On the gridiron he was a runner, passer, punter, defensive back
and place kicker. In basketball he was both a gifted outside shoot
and used his size and strength as a rebounder.
On the diamond he was scouted by professional teams, which could
not decide if he was a better prospect as a slugger or pitcher.
For many years he was one of the principal figures in the development
of the Collingswood Little League.

JOE KIRK
Joe Kirk was one of the most highly recruited baseball players to
ever attend Collingswood. Both professional and college scouts pursued
the talented young slugger who could hit with exceptional power
and seldom struck out.
As a senior he joined the football squad and played an important
role as a two-way end on the championship team of 1936.
When he graduated in 1937 he accepted a scholarship to Compton Junior
College in California with a promise that his next step would be
with the powerful University of Southern California.
After a year in the west, he came home and matriculated at Ursinus
College.

BEATRICE “BABE” FOSTER DECKMAN
“Babe” Foster was an excellent all-around athlete at
Collingswood High School. She received varsity letters in field
hockey, basketball, tennis and swimming. While “Babe”
won acclaim for her athletic accomplishments, she was also well-known
as the daughter of the town funeral director. “Babe”
was another fortunate female athlete in that she was coached by
Hazel Nickerson Gallagher and Ruth Woolston Pond while at Collingswood
High School.

ZITA SWIECICKI WRAY
Field hockey, basketball, swimming and tennis were the girls’sports
available in the late 1930’s and Swiecicki excelled in them
all.
One of her fondest memories were the basketball games against Hallahan
of Philadelphia, at the time considered one of the nation’s
best.
She received All-Star recognition in every sport in which she participated
and was considered South Jersey’s finest girl athlete in her
senior year of 1939.
In later years she played basketball for RCA Victor, a team that
competed against the strongest competition on the east coast.

JOHN WURSTER
Although on the small side, John Wurster was one of the greatest
linebackers to ever wear the Gold & Blue. In 1938 he was named
All-South Jersey center as he amazed observers with his ability
to make tackles from sideline to sideline.
He was chosen as the team’s most valuable player in 1938 and
Coach Irvine always considered Wurster one of the most inspirational
players of his long regime.
The speed he displayed in football was transferred to track as he
set a school record for the 880 yard run that lasted two decades.

BETTY SMITH LOUDY
Betty Smith earned a total of 12 varsity letters during her years
at Collingswood High – four in swimming, three in tennis,
three in field hockey and two in basketball. Swimming was the area
of Betty’s greatest achievements. During her career from 1938-41,
she set swimming records in the 20-yard freestyle (10.2 seconds),
40-yard freestyle (23.8 seconds) and 80-yard freestyle (46.9 seconds).
Following graduation, Betty played field hockey with the Saturday
Morning Club in Philadelphia and the West Jersey Field Hockey Association
for several years.

GRACE SCHULER McGEOY
A classmate of Betty Smith and just one year behind Babe Foster,
Grace Schuler was another outstanding all-around athlete who helped
produce championship teams in women’s sports at Collingswood
High. Grace also earned 12 varsity letters, with three each in field
hockey, basketball, swimming and tennis. She excelled in all of
them and enjoyed competing in sports of any kind. After graduation,
Grace went on to attain All-American honors in field hockey for
the United States Field Hockey Team.

GEORGE TALARICO
George was a three-sport letterman. A three-year starter at end
on the football team, his reckless style of play made him a fan
favorite. He was All-South Jersey for the 1940 championship team.
George was also a starting guard on the first Collingswood basketball
team to win a South Jersey title. In addition, he was an outfielder
on the baseball team.

TED NARLESKI
Ted took over as quarterback from his brother Ray in 1947 and the
next year was the All-South Jersey quarterback and captain of the
fabled ’48 undefeated team that was Skeets Irvine’s
last. He was also a four-year starter in baseball. Ted was last
a single-wing tailback at UCLA and was a professional baseball player
in the Cleveland Indian’s system.
In his senior year he was chosen Back-of-the-Year by the Brooks
Irvine Memorial Football Club and was honored as All-State quarterback.

CLAIRE LOEBLE WENTZ
Claire was a fine all-around athlete at Collingswood High, graduating
in 1951 with letters in four sports. She played three years of varsity
field hockey and was co-captain of the undefeated 1950 team.
Claire also lettered for three years each in both basketball and
softball and achieved four-sport varsity status by lettering in
swimming.

MARYANN SWETKOFF SHIVERS
Maryann never played on a JV team during her four-year athletic
career at Oaklyn Junior High and Collingswood High. She played hockey
and basketball for four years each, while excelling in both softball
and tennis in the spring.
Maryann’s athletic accomplishments included being captain
of a championship hockey team and pitching a no-hitter in softball.
She was voted the top female athlete in the class of 1960 and was
a Varsity Club officer.
Maryann went on to Temple University, where she had an outstanding
career as an athlete. She went on to enjoy great coaching success
at Washington Township High School.

TIM WRIGHT
Tim was the “Mr. Outside” to Steve Kaplan’s “Mr.
Inside” on the 1967-68 basketball team, Collingswood’s
best ever that came within a whisker of being state champions. Wright
was the floor general with a deadly outside shot.
In basketball, he was All-Colonial Conference for three years, All-Suburban
Team for two years and All-South Jersey as a senior. Tim was also
a fine tennis player who lettered for three years and he also played
football as a sophomore. In his senior year, he shared the Howard
T. Irvine Award with Kaplan.
Tim went on to graduate from Princeton University and also holds
an M.Ed. from Temple. Like so many other Collingswood High Hall
of Famers, Wright chose a career in teaching and coaching.

GARY WILLIAMS
Gary Williams exhibited the same leadership and intensity in his
own scholastic career that he demonstrates as one of college basketball’s
most successful coaches.
On the hardwood, he was a three-year starter as a ballhawking guard
and fierce defender. He teamed with fellow Hall of Famer Stan Pawlak
(who was a class ahead) on outstanding teams of the early 1960’s.
In Gary’s senior year, Collingswood joined the Colonial Conference
and won the league basketball title. Williams was a first team All-South
Jersey performer.
Williams was also a two-year starter in baseball, where he was a
standout outfielder with a great arm. He was also a member of the
cross-country team.
Gary went on to play at the University of Maryland. He has been
a highly-successful Division 1 basketball coach who has built winning
programs at four universities – American U., Boston College,
Ohio State and now at his alma mater, Maryland.

JOE BIEKSIS
Big Joe was a standout in football, basketball and track during
the years 1953-55. He earned a total of nine letters, three in each
sport. He is considered one of the strongest athletes to ever compete
for the Blue and Gold.
Bieksis was a three-year football starter, playing offensive end
and defensive tackle and was selected to the first team All-State
and All-South Jersey honors his senior year.
Joe was the starting center on the basketball team for three years,
including one team that reached the South Jersey Group 4 finals
for Coach Jack McClosky. In track, he was outstanding in both the
shotput and discus, earning after-season honors.

BEVERLY DURGIN GROVE
Bev Durgin was another nine-letter Collingswood athlete. She earned
three each in field hockey, basketball and softball during the years
1951-54.
While she was a standout in all three sports, playing field hockey
was her first love. She captained the team in her senior year and
credited her high school coach, Marie Oliver Gimmi, with giving
her the guidance and incentive to go on to college. Bev would go
on to play competitive hockey for 30 years before retiring in her
40’s.
Bev had an outstanding collegiate career at Temple University and
was inducted into the Temple Women’s Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1983.

JON LEISE
The son of former Collingswood sports standout “Corky”
Leise, Jon carved an outstanding career of his own as a football
and baseball standout. He showed baseball promise as a star pitcher
and hitter on a Collingswood Little League team that won the South
Jersey championship. In high school, he was a three-year baseball
letterman. Leise was both captain and MVP of the baseball team in
his senior year and was an All-Group 3 selection.
In football, Leise was a two-year starter. A scrambling left quarterback,
he was adept at passing and running the option. He was captain and
MVP of a Colonial championship team in his senior year. Leise was
an All-Group 3 and honorable mention All-South Jersey selection.
Leise’s classmates selected him “Most School Spirited”
and he won the Buddy Robertson Award

BONNIE GLASER CAPPELLUTI
Bonnie earned a total of eight varsity letters in a Collingswood
High career that spanned the years 1972-75 – three each in
hockey and lacrosse and two in basketball.
In hockey, she was an All-Colonial second team selection as a junior.
In her senior year, Bonnie blossomed to become the leading scorer
in South Jersey and a first team All-Conference, All-Group 3 and
All-South Jersey selection.
In basketball, Bonnie was All-Group 3 honorable mention. She was
co-captain of the lacrosse team in her senior year and was a Delaware
Valley League first team all-star.
She went on to have a fine collegiate career at Glassboro State
College (Rowan). In 1978, she was selected as the “Collegiate
Field Hockey Player of the Year” by the Courier-Post.

BILL HUNT
Hunt was a true triple threat during the years 1979-82. He was a
three-year starter in football, basketball and baseball, earning
nine letters, and was elected team captain in all three sports.
His teams won Colonial Conference championships in football and
baseball and Hunt never played on a losing team at Collingswood.
Hunt started on both offense and defense in football and earned
first team All-Conference honors as both quarterback and defensive
back. As a senior, he was team MVP, All-Group 3 and second team
All-South Jersey. He was also MVP of the North-South All-State Football
Game in 1982.
An All-Conference second team selection as a basketball guard, Hunt
was MVP as a senior. He was also MVP of the baseball team in his
senior year and was a first team All-Conference and first team All-South
Jersey honoree. Bill was the recipient of the Brooks-Irvine Award
and the John Dennis Leary Memorial Award. Today, he is a coach at
Williamstown High School.

SUE COURSEN
Sue Coursen earned a total of nine letters at Collingswood High
– three each in field hockey, basketball and lacrosse –
prior to graduation in 1981. In hockey, she was captain and MVP
of a South Jersey Group 3 championship team in her senior year.
She was an A 11-Conference and All-Group 3 first team selection
and was second team All-South Jersey.
Sue was a member of the state championship lacrosse team as a sophomore,
a thrill she shared with her sister Diane. She was team MVP and
a second team All-South Jersey selection as a senior.
Sue was the female recipient of the Howard T. Irvine Award as a
senior. An officer of the Varsity Club for two years, she was a
member of the National Honor Society and ranked 11th in her class.
She went on to become a four-year starter in both hockey and lacrosse
at Lehigh University and earned All-American honors in both sports.

CHARLIE SINK
After playing a significant role on the unbeaten and untied football
teams of 1931-32, Sink was selected All-South Jersey quarterback
in his senior year of 1933.
A triple-threat performer, he always was one of the first mentioned
by Skeets Irvine when he listed his greatest players.
In the final game of 1933, Sink kicked a field goal in the closing
moments to defeat Woodbury, 9-6. It was the only field goal he ever
attempted.
For three years he was one of South Jersey’s finest pitchers
and also earned two letters in basketball and track.